Saturday 1 November 2008

Mulled Wine

Am I the only one who has been taken aback at how cold it is right now? Somehow it feels rather more bitter than it usually does - there was snow on the Beacons yesterday! I can't remember the last time it snowed in October...
With that in mind I am giving you my recipe for mulled wine.
I have been making this for years , tweaking and experimenting as I go and I think this is as close to perfect as I'm ever going to get anything

Bottle of inexpensive, hearty red wine.
I use the French table wine from Tescos but the Bulgarian cabernet sauvignon is good too


1 orange, sliced into half inch slices.
Don't use the top or bottom slice as there is too much pith in proportion to flesh and pith makes it taste bitter. (I will resist the urge to make any further comment here)


Brandy or port or sherry in order of preference. If you want to make falling down water then use all three.
Fill a large mug half full with chosen plonk - Tesco's own tawny port is lovely for this - and top up to full with water.
Add another mug of water or else you'll be asleep by eight.


Soft brown sugar to taste.
I use about 1 or 2 tablespoons. Don't use too much or else it will start to taste medicinal, weird I know but there it is.


5 cloves

1 large cinnamon stick.
Tap the stick very gently with a wooden spoon. It releases the scent of the spice into the wine.


1 decent sized piece of whole dried ginger root.
This can be difficult to get hold of. I got mine in a health food shop in Aberystwyth but you can try a Chinese herbalists too. Do not be tempted to use powdered ginger, it clouds the wine and it hangs around on the tongue too.
If you can't get it whole dried, use fresh (peeled) but then make it a large piece.


Put all the ingredients in a large sauce pan and heat very gently until steam starts to curl slowly from the pan. Strain and serve in heat proof glasses.

Be warned...This is strong stuff but very warming. Roasted chestnuts are the desired accompaniment with this but gingerbread is good too.

7 comments:

Kim said...

That's a lovely recipe, Sian, now I will shock you! I was soooo cold last night that the only thing to warm me was some mulled wine. In desperation I threw some spices in a mug with some sugar and boiling water, topped up with wine and bunged it in the microwave! Now you may call me a Heathen :) But it did warm me up :)

Kim x

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

Cody has been on this kick where he's been talking about making butter rum!


It's unseasonably cold here, too! It seems to be happening in lots of places......I hope it's not an indicator for a horrible winter....I haven't had one of those yet since being in the mountains. Maybe I'm due?!?!

p.s. I've got this lovely slideshow up at WW that you may enjoy :o)

Anonymous said...

Sounds yummy; I'll bet it smells heavenly as well as tastes that way. And roast chestnuts would be perfect - we like 'em! It's not too cold here yet, but hey, I could make some just for the practice, right?

Nan and =^..^= said...

I just tried to send this comment but somehow lost it so here it goes again...just came inside from photographing a really adorable young red squirrel who is eating pears.
My hands are frozen from being outside and just reading your mulled wine recipe is warming.
Soon I will post some photos of the red squirrel so if you'd like to see her, stop by Furry and Feathered Friends.
We're concerned about her and her sister for they've only been outside for several weeks and have no idea what winter is. They were found when only several days old and a friend raised them. My husband, D, might make her a house!

Nicole said...

Not just you - it's cold. (And I'm across the pond, even.)

Thanks for the recipe for mulled wine! I've been meaning to try it, but never gotten around to it. (Now I just need to make sure to collect enough people who actually drink...) We had mulled (non-alcoholic) cider for Halloween, and it was lovely.

Technodoll said...

We just went through a blast of arctic temps, oh gosh it was rough... snowed here too. EEEK!

If I liked mulled wine I'd totally make your recipe!

Hope it warms up soon... 5 months of winter is just too bleddy long.

Sian said...

Kim: I am shocked! :o)

WW: I have never tried buttered rum. I might give it a go this year...

Deborah: Get lots of practise in, I think we are in for a nasty one this year :o)

Nan: I like red squirrels a lot. Reminds me of Beatrix Potter tales

Nicole: LOL - Isn't non alcoholic cider apple juice?

TD: I think your and Jessica's chances of a warm winter are slim at best. But I hope it is not as beastly as it was last year for you :o)